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The day was perfect.
Blue skies and amazing views were everywhere.
Heading further south on the well-maintained roads of Santorini, we continued on our journey to see what the scenic island would offer up to us.
After gazing out over Caldera Beach, we headed to the prehistoric town of Akrotiri. An ancient Minoan Bronze Age settlement, it was destroyed by a severe earthquakes and eventually a volcanic eruption at the last quarter of the 17th century B.C. Much like Pompeii in Italy, volcanic materials covered the town, protecting them for the town’s resurgence in later years. Since I had never been to Pompeii (something high on my bucket list), I was excited to see this well-preserved archaeological site and understand what I might see when I finally made my way to the Italian ruins.
The settlement, however, is protected by a bioclimatic roof and very different from pictures I had seen of Pompeii. After paying our entrance fee, we made our way around well-marked site, navigable by walkways suspended above the archaeological remains.
There were many important buildings that were mostly intact, including multi-storied houses, a few containing well-preserved frescoes, pottery and precious stone and bronze objects. Most of the important pieces that have been recovered, however, are now on display in the Museum of Prehistoric Thera.
After our visit was complete, we had planned to have lunch nearby and make our way to the adjacent Red Beach. So many cars and pedestrians were entering the parking area, however, we decided to alter our plans. Driving out past the modern-day village of Akrotiri, with its picturesque alleys, blue domed churches and traditional houses, we found a lovely restaurant, The Good Heart, located along the highway, to have a quick bite. Greeted warmly, we ate our lunch and bought some delicious snacks at their adjacent store.
Once our lunch and shopping was complete, we continued down to the end of the highway, stopping a couple of times to admire the continually beckoning caldera.
Our destination was the Akrotiri Lighthouse and we soon arrived, luckily securing a parking spot in the small lot. The well-known lighthouse is considered one of the best and most beautiful lighthouses in the Greek Isles.
A whitewashed structure, the lighthouse stands high on the cliff above the sea. Manufactured by a French company is 1892, it was one of the first lighthouses in the country and stands on a popular spot for tourists to enjoy the views and for locals to spend their evenings enjoying the cool breezes and spectacular sunsets.
Finally, heading back from the way we had just come, we decided that we had conquered most of the the southern sites of Santorini, but now needed to enjoy a bit of beach time. Heading down a small, rocky road toward the southern coast, we soon arrived at the Akro Beach Club.
Taking the steep stairs down the side of the cliff, we found ourselves at one of the three picturesque beaches that line the coast. Red, White and Black Beaches occupy methodical positions that can be reached by car in two of the instances (Red and Black) and by water taxi. Though we later learned that the water taxi would have been a cool alternative for us to see all three beaches, we were anxious to grab some beach chairs, beer and soak up some sun.
The beach was black, as its name suggests and a bit rocky. Thankfully, we had brought water shoes, making it much less difficult to make it down to the water’s edge. The water, however, was a bit cold for me!
The ambiance was amazing and we stayed much longer than we had anticipated, enjoying the sound of the waves, passing boats and warm weather. The beach was uncrowded and passengers from the water taxi came and went. More importantly, the beer was cold and refreshing!
As the day drew to a close, we finally made our way up the steep road…
To another beautiful sunset.
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Akrotiri
- http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/3/eh351.jsp?obj_id=2410
- Address: Thera 847 00, Greece
- Hours: November 1-March 31, 0800-1500, Tuesday through Sunday. Closed Monday. April 15-October 31, 0800-2000, daily.
- Admission: Full, €12, Reduded, €6. Special package 4-day ticket is for Archaelogical Sites and Museum in Thera Ancient Thera, Akrotiri, Archaeological Museum, Museum of Prehistoric Thera, Collection of Icons and Ecclesiastical Artefacts at Pyrgos. Free admission days, March 6, April 18, May 18, last weekend of September annually (European Heritage Days), National Holidays, October 28, every first Sunday from November 1 to March 31.
- Getting There: By rental car, parking is available in adjacent lot, €4 or in Red Beach parking lot, €2. KTEL Santorini bus service to Akrotiri from Fira. Check out bus schedules at https://www.ktel-santorini.gr/index.php/en/.
Akrotiri Lighthouse
- Address: Thera 847 00, Greece
- Hours: 24 hours, daily
- Admission: free
Black Beach
- Address: Thera 847 00, Greece
Akro Beach Bar
- https://www.akrosantorini.com/
- Address: Akrotiri 847 00, Greece
- Hours: 1000-2200, daily
- Admission: free.
- Beach chair/umbrella pairs, $30 first row, $20 second row, $15 last row. Menu item prices vary. Food/drink service located on beach and in restaurant. Locked safety boxes available at beach chairs.
Akrotiri Water Taxi
- Journeys to all three beaches, 10€ from Akrotiri, near Red Beach.